The Coast Halifax Weekly

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THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK P14

H A L I FA X ’ S W E E K L Y A N A L YS I S

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VOLUME 27 NUMBER 13

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AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28 2019

Deadly waters Why can’t we figure out how to stop killing right whales? BY CHELSEA MURRAY

Beachy clean

How bacteria is trying to ruin our summer P4

Apartment envy

Tour a two-bedroom in Waverley P7

with ginseng and honey

norc’s new EP is a lucid dream P13

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The Coast

This week

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In Nova Scotia they say you’re never more than 50 km away from the ocean, but what they don’t tell you is you’re really never more than 50 km away from someone playing the bagpipes.

Issue #1,217 VOLUME 27, NUMBER 13 AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 29, 2019

On the cover: Photographer Nick Hawkins took this shot of Wolverine on Miscou Island, NB. To see more of Nick’s work, go to nickhawkinsphotography.com. The City 4 Voice of The City 5 Homes Halifax 7 Food+Drink 9 Cover Story: Attention paid to every death 10

SURE THING

BEST OF TWITTER

@ SILASJVBROWN. Posted on Aug 17. Kejimkujik Dark Sky Weekend August 23-25 Kejimkujik National Park Out of Town

OVERHEARD

Arts 12 Entertainment listings 14 Love The Way We Bitch 16 The Comic 16 Free Will Astrology 17 Savage Love 18

Reply all Developing hubris When developer Alex Halef of the BANC Group discusses citizen opposition to the latest proposed development on Wellington Street, he insults the residents of HRM who are opposed to that building and other developments (“If we build it, the hope is that they’ll come,” City story by Catherine Turnbull, August 15). Halef thinks opposition to developments like BANC’s eight-storey Wellington Street building have to do with “a lack of proper understanding, perhaps, of what the real effects of height and shadows do to a neighbouring property.” But Mr. Halef needs to know that opposition to the current flood of dense developments has to do with much more than height and shadows. Had he been listening to the citizen participants at the public hearings for developments such as the Willow Tree, the Carlton Street block and Wellington Street, he would know the huge number of reasons sociological, economic, environmental, etc. to oppose these projects. Mr. Halef needs to spend a few hours with his computer and do some research on

Thank you to everyone who made this special weekend possible.

Maybe the flood was real in Noah’s ark.

The first annual #SalsaFestHFX was a success! @HALIENTE.NS

—young person reflects on climate change

The province’s only dark sky preserve helps you wish upon a star with stories and discoveries for all ages— think outdoor amphitheatre shows meditating about extraterrestrial life, nighttime hikes and campfire programs discussing how artificial light affects humans and wildlife and more. Camp out under the spotty skies to complete the fun.

The Coast welcomes your thoughts on all aspects of the paper’s performance and city life. Deliver letters to the editor to 2309 Maynard Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 3T8 fax: 902-425-0013, email: letters@thecoast.ca. Post comments on any story at thecoast.ca

some of the negative effects of dense high-rise development. I was also most interested to also read that Cesar Salah of WM Fares notes his architecture firm—which has had a number of highdensity developments approved recently, with more on the way—has been heavily involved in the creation of the Centre Plan, and “we’re pretty happy with the outcome.” Nice to know some people are happy, because there have been no meetings with the public on the Centre Plan for 18 months, in spite of HRM’s Principles of Community Engagement stating that “everyone potentially affected by the process has an opportunity to become involved.” —Beverly Miller, Halifax

Abuse of a bus Fall River councillor Steve Streatch should be ashamed of his comments reported in last week’s issue—in a print-only sidebar about the transit fare increase, published on page 4 under the headline “25 cent”—regarding his opinion of Halifax Transit: “I do not take the

bus, I will never take the bus. I have no interest in taking the bus, and the vast majority of residents feel the same as I do.” I am a resident of HRM who enjoys and hugely appreciates our local bus system. Although I have a car, any occasion, meeting, appointment or entertainment opportunity that I can get to by bus is a welcome one. No traffic, no parking woes, no stress! The Halifax Transit RT app works exceedingly well. While it is true that I am lucky to live near a bus stop, which is a luxury Mr. Stretch is possibly not privy to, the negativity of his remarks is shocking given the fact that we are all, or should be, working on ways to go greener, to keep car traffic out of downtown. Would he prefer more parking garages (at taxpayers’ expense), more congested peninsular streets, more fumes, more accidents? What is the point of more bike lanes if we should all take our cars downtown? Halifax Transit buses are a useful and pleasant way to get around. The price is right even with the increase, though I fully support subsidies for seniors and free rides for kids up to 12. Yes, I know folks who look down on taking a bus, and there are those for whom they do

not work. But take a look at the amazing bus systems in many large cities—particularly in Europe, the UK and Asia. It works! Mr. Streatch, as our city councillor, should you not be supporting and touting our excellent buses? Kudos to our courteous and careful bus drivers. To those sitting in daily traffic waiting to get down town: Try a bus! —Sharon Nicolle, Halifax

Simmer down I am wondering why John Labelle would write his “Asking a veteran” letter at this time (Reply all, August 15). No politician in the past six months has asked: What do veterans want? I think it is simply Labelle’s advocacy group for veterans trying to stay relevant when they aren’t. His group wants to change the way CPP is paid out, in order to have veterans benefit when no one does. He calls it a clawback, when the formula the rest of government uses is called bridging. It’s the plan that has been in place for over 50 years. —Jean Martinello, Lower Sackville

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$1 million

in funding from the federal government was given to support the Halifax Wilderness Park this week. The project will protect the 379 acres of land around Williams Lake and Colpitt Lake in HRM. Craig Smith, program director for Nova Scotia with the Nature Conservancy of Canada says they still need to fundraise $375,000 in order to open this fall. The federal government has also promised $3.7 million to Atlantic Canada for repairs and upgrades over five years to Canada’s military reserve units and armouries. Plus, they’ve promised $47.5 million on two projects that will help the Port of Halifax, awarded a $500 million contract to Irving Shipbuilding Inc. to maintain a navy fleet and promised $12.5 million to improving bike lane infrastructure in Halifax.

LENNY MULLINS

EDITED BY CAORA MCKENNA / SEND TIPS TO NEWS@THECOAST.CA

Swimmers enjoy the bacteria and blue-green algae free water at Chocolate Lake Beach. THE COAST

ENVIRONMENT

Beach bums

Your pup may be behind Halifax beach closures. BY

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ummer: a blissful time to load the kids and the dog in the car, drive a mere 20 minutes to the beach, unload the kids, hastily apply sun screen, and watch the two- and four-legged freaks fling themselves into the water. Moments later, a mischievous smile from your child­and—unnoticed but likely still happening—a second sneaky smile of relief from Rover. A microbial gift to nature’s greatest resource. For 13 years Cameron Deacoff, the city’s water resource specialist, has concerned himself with the state of Halifax’s beaches in the name of recreation and safety. Improved technology plus increased contaminants means he—and the team tasked with testing and regulating the waters—is kept increasingly busy.

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CAORA MCKENNA

There are over 20 beaches, freshwater and salt water, tested weekly by HRM staff. Fresh water beaches are tested for E. coli, which “comes from the guts of warm blooded animals—including humans” says Deacoff, and salt water beaches for enterococci. Deacoff says his general sense is the city has “definitely seen an increasing number of closing of beaches over the years.” This increase comes in part because they are “much more protective of public heath” in terms of opening and closing the beaches. Another factor could be rising temperatures, which leads to water temperatures which “are very supportive environments for more bacteria growth, and longer lifespans for bacteria that are already there.”

So far this summer, Halifax beaches have been closed due to high bacteria levels 14 times, and twice for blue-green algae blooms. Last summer, there were 20 closures. The city only tests for E. coli or enterococci but their presence is used as an indicator for other contaminants known to be potentially harmful. Deacoff says the monitoring is done as a way to “protect human health.” E. coli in the water can cause fever, diarrhea, sore throat—if ingested—and colds and skin rashes. The city doesn’t normally test where the contaminants are coming from, but after Birch Cove Beach on Lake Banook was closed for about half the season in 2017, Deacoff says they commissioned a study to figure out where the high concentrations were, and what was possibly causing them—in hopes of reining them in to maintain safe use in the future. The study from engineering firm Stantec released this month looked at pollution sources in Lake Banook and Lake Micmac. It found higher-than-expected levels of E. coli and says traces of dog poop were found at many of the sample locations. It recommends increased awareness on the need to pick-up droppings from domestic dogs.

It also suggested tracking down and stopping domestic wastewater that is making its way into the lake and installing bird-deterrents on the Highway 111 bridge, noting that the lakes are in an urbanized watershed area, which presents challenges to water quality and influences the use of the lakes. To curb doggy dumping, the city has just launched its Canines for Clean Water campaign to “remind residents of the problems posed by dog poop on the loose and encourage them to clean up after their pets,” says Deacoff. One thing Deacoff says he knows “as a dog owner...is that dogs poop in the water, whether intentionally or otherwise.” The pledge that dogs and their owners can take promises that they’ll stay on leash in trail and on-leash areas, scoop and throw poop in garbage bins, avoid contact with streams and wildlife and respect off-leash boundaries. Deacoff says the main point of monitoring—and unfortunate subsequent closing—is to say “hey, we’re managing this and we’re making this opportunity available to you,” so as many people as possible can enjoy the amazing natural resources Halifax has to offer. a

The Coast

2019-08-21 5:03 PM

Voice of The City WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU voice@thecoast.ca

How did we get in this OPS mess? Frontline healthcare providers are left in the dark. BY LEAH GENGE

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am a white, privileged, female physician who has never injected drugs. I serve some of the most vulnerable people in our city. I care deeply about their safety, dignity and well-being. Before medicine, I worked in the downtown east side of Vancouver, and in my early years of practice I served Calgary’s inner-city as the fentanyl crisis was hitting its stride. Harm reduction is at the centre of every clinical decision I make. So is the importance of community and respecting the people and places I serve. The upcoming overdose prevention site (OPS) and subsequent unrest it has caused in the north end community has been difficult to digest. I am elated Halifax is finally getting a safe consumption site—especially one that is peer-led. This is a life-saving service that many people need. On the other hand, I am tormented that members of the African-Nova Scotian community yet again feel disrespected and dismissed. Since the difficult community meeting in May that pitted the two communities against each other, I’ve been asking myself, “How did we get here?” It may seem like the usual scapegoat, but I believe we are in this mess because of a political failure. In cities across the country (and around the world) community organizations are doing the heavy lifting to care for vulnerable and underserved populations. This is purposeful— communities know how to solve their own problems—but it can create some challenges. HaliFIX formed because of a lack of political urgency to address the dire situation of addiction services in Nova Scotia. Efforts made feel inadequate—not moving fast enough—to those of us on the frontline. Furthermore, there was public perception that NSHA would not endorse an OPS. Whether the NSHA actually supports it is irrelevant when people on the frontlines aren’t informed. In this situation, silence can be deafening. Community agencies who rely on their funding feel muzzled. In light of this challenge, HaliFIX is truly an admirable group of people who have worked tirelessly, volunteering countless hours to

Leah Genge wants our government to embrace harm reduction, now. THE COAST

make this happen, but despite the best intentions, some things went wrong. This was evident at the community meeting in May when discussion unravelled not over the OPS itself, but its proposed location and proximity to the New Horizons Church. The complexity of this situation required more delicate navigation. I have yet to see our government step up to meet this complexity in a sufficient way. If it is happening, it’s behind closed doors. The ‘politics as usual’ approach doesn’t feel good enough. A common retort is that in every city where an OPS has opened there has been “not in my backyard” opposition. Here in Halifax, this is “not any backyard.” The historical context of the process and location and the systemic racism experienced by the African- Nova Scotian community must be respected. We cannot get it wrong this time. Nor can we continue to be complacent with the gross inadequacy of addiction services in this province and risk losing anyone else to overdose. An OPS will not be a fix-all for the opioid crisis, but it’s a start. I need to hear the government commit to caring for people living with addiction on a bigger scale, and commit to the needs and voices of the African-Nova Scotian community. Addiction cannot continue to be a low-priority issue with an antiquated approach. Community agencies cannot bear the brunt of our fractured system. That is an unreasonable expectation. a

THE POLL

What should the federal government spend money on in Halifax? 35%

a

b

c

d

e

a) Bike lanes

5% b)

Ship yard

38% c)

Roads

2% d)

Army reserves

20% e)

Marine research

Next poll: How often do you take

Halifax Transit? thecoast.ca

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Homes Halifax

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The Coast

2019-08-21 4:44 PM

Homes Halifax E D I T E D BY ALLISON SAUNDERS Send tips to homeshalifax@thecoast.ca

APARTMENT TOUR

Everything in its place A little bit retro and majorly minimal, this Waverley apartment makes a case for living with less stuff. BY ALLISON SAUNDERS | PHOTOS IAN SELIG

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achael Shrum has an organized mind but she’s quick to point out that she’s not really a tidy person. Sitting on her massive forest green couch in the morning sun she says, matter-of-factly, “I just leave stuff around.” You wouldn’t know it, looking around the tucked-away second floor, two-bedroom apartment she affectionately calls the treehouse. Sparsely decorated walls, meticulously stacked books and perfectly manicured plants give the space a feeling of calm, cool and collected. Or, as Shrum puts it, “everything I own has its own place or purpose.” Her Waverley home—a convenient stroll from Shubie Park—has been just that for

two-and-a-half years. Since March, when the NSCAD grad left her day job to take her photography full-time, it’s been her workspace too. Shrum says she’s made it her own slowly, lucking out with lots of hand-me-down furniture and splurging on stand-out items that complement her subtle style and the shades of blue and green that trickle throughout the space. “The really simple, minimalist vibe was really calming when I came home. This room is an exception, it shows my eclectic side a bit,” she says of her living room, with its massive fern, hand-hooked pillow portrait of her childhood dog and a TV she never watches.

Now, in the thick of wedding season (she’s shot 14 already) Shrum spends most of her time in the room she’s made her office. There she finds quiet inspiration from photos of the ocean and a shelf decorated (neatly) with vintage cameras and old oil paints inherited from her great-great-aunt. “She painted a lot. There’s a bit of painting in my family on both sides,” she says. “That’s what I started school for but I totally got immersed in the dark room and then stayed in there. Sometimes something just clicks and you go for it.” Considering she’s a creative, Shrum keeps the flourishes to a minimum. Just one of her

own photos—a foggy portrait overlooking the Halifax Harbour—hangs in her kitchen while a small, vintage snapshot of her grandfather at 20 smiles from the wall outside of her bathroom. Her all-white bedroom (save for the blue curtains she says “make me think of a Monet painting”) gets a touch of whimsy from a handmade paper wall-hanging. It’s the little things, and the spaces between them, that make the space serene. “This apartment isn’t super new or nice, but I’ve tried to make it mine,” says Shrum. “I’m really conscious now of what I own. And if i don’t need it I give it away or give it to a friend. There’s not much in here that’s extra.” a

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Homes Halifax

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EXPERT ADVICE

How to thrift like a pro Holy Roller Vintage’s Bridget Van Wart shares tips for buying used and vintage furniture. BY ALLISON SAUNDERS

“S

SUBMITTED

uccessful thrifting can, at its essence, be boiled down to perseverance, some basic knowledge and pure luck,” says Bridget VanWart, founder of and finder behind Holy Roller Vintage—a furniture and accessories seller that’s online home is Instagram. In just 10 months, she’s taken her obsession with home decor, deal hunting and bringing vintage pieces back to life and grown a dedicated sea of followers who buy up her latest finds in mere minutes. “From the very beginning my intent with selling vintage was to sell items that I would happily have in my own home while trying to make shopping second-hand more approachable, accessible and commonplace,” she says. “I get the greatest joy when someone messages me that my account inspired them to check out a thrift shop for the first time.” Here, Van Wart shares her best advice for getting your money’s worth in the vintage world.

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“When shopping for larger pieces I’d recommend seeking out local estate sales and auctions—in my experience, this is where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.”

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“If shopping from a dealer like myself, never ever be afraid to ask questions about an item’s history—it is my firm belief that part of charging a more premium price for an item means the appropriate work has been put in by the seller to both source its history and transparently communicate its quality. With ‘vintage’ becoming more of a trend, it can be easy to slap that word on anything that looks like it could be old—the last thing anyone wants is to pay a premium price for an item they believe to be vintage, then see it on a shelf at HomeSense the next week.”

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“If shopping from an online source like Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace, a few quick tips: Make your search terms as vague as possible. Even if you’re specifically searching for a round, wooden, mid-century coffee table just search ‘coffee table.’ Most listings don’t have detailed descriptions and you could miss what you’re looking for by being too precise. Always ask if there’s damage to the piece if it isn’t specified. You’d be surprised what a well-angled photo can hide. If the item is upholstered, ask if there’s a smell. Trust me. I have majorly regretted not doing this. And always be super respectful of the seller—show up on time and bring cash!” a

The Coast

2019-08-21 4:46 PM

EDITED BY KYLE SHAW SEND TIPS TO FOOD@THECOAST.CA

VISIT ST.CA THECOA TENDED FOR AN EX DING LU CHAT INC BEER, A FOURTH RFER SU H C COU IPA

Two locals and a visitor from Quebec. From left: Beyond the Haze, Anna and Tom’s Smoked Porter. SUBMITTED

FERMENTED FRIENDS

Craft beer taste test Join the conversation as two brew buds bond over a bevy of new bevvies. BY DAVE HAYDEN AND KATHERINE WOOLHOUSE KATHERINE WOOLHOUSE: Hi Dave. For our debut “Fermented Friends” chat, I picked up a few promising beers for us to try. Most of them come from Bishop’s Cellar, where I went shopping for a more-or-less random selection of things that were either new or new to me. DAVE HAYDEN: Right on. I’m ready for this, I think. KW: The first beer I picked up is Beyond the Haze from Tusket Falls Brewing Company, a local near Yarmouth. DH: Beyond the Haze is a New England-style IPA. I’ve had it before, and am glad to try it again. KW: I like it! I’m avoiding looking at the can before we guess the alcohol by volume. I’m guessing 5.8 percent. DH: I’m with you on that. I’d say six-ish percent. Are we right? KW: 5.8!! DH: Ha! Well done. Although I like this, I am not sure I can drink a lot of it. For me, it is just a bit too sweet. KW: I’m a little unsure which we should do next, because both have the potential to blow our palate. But I’m picking the beer from Microbrasserie Vox Populi. You and I had Vox Populi’s Double Fruit Punch IPA another time, and we both loved it. This one is Anna, a triple du nouveau monde. DH: Vox Populi is becoming a new favourite brewery in Quebec, and I love how you can now get at least a few products consistently in Nova Scotia. I hope that lasts. You peeked at the ABV, but don’t tell me yet. Given it’s a triple, I know it’s going to pack a punch. Hmmmm, it’s a bit more amber than most triples I know. KW: The usual smell for a Belgian beer.

DH: Ohmigod, it’s pretty amazing. Big alcohol notes. This has to be above 10 percent. KW: Good guess, 10 percent exactly. There’s one last beer to try. We’ve talked for a long time about smoked beers—I love them, you don’t. However, you love Bad Apple Brewhouse, and they make a smoked porter I want you to try. DH: You often say that smoked beers for you taste different depending on the order in which you try them, so I am surprised you saved this one for the end. You’ve taught me that they are better on a fresh palate. KW: This one actually isn’t from Bishop’s Cellar; I got it from the brewery in Berwick on a recent trip to the Annapolis Valley. It’s called Tom’s Smoked Porter and it was first off the canning line. This is, of course, a completely different look from the others. DH: Dark like a long shot of espresso. Perfect! What’s the ABV? Five percent? KW: It is pretty strong. Higher than six percent, I think, maybe 6.5. That’s my guess, but checking the can...we were both wrong. It’s 5.9 percent. Maybe the smoke is just going to my head. DH: My internal ABV meter may be faltering, now that we’re on the third beer in line. That also means it’s time to name your winner from the tasting. I can see you wrestling with your decision over there. KW: I can’t pick Tom’s Smoked Porter since I already loved it coming into this, so of the new ones to me, I guess my choice would be the Tusket Beyond the Haze. And you? DH: I am kinda shocking myself to say this given my bias toward IPAs and triples, but Tom’s Smoked Porter. KW: Celebration! DH: Indeed. Consider me a convert. a The Coast • AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28, 2019 • 9

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Attention paid to every death After a reprieve last year, right whales are dying again in disturbing numbers this summer. And with only about 400 whales left, we’re running out of time to save them from extinction. BY CHELSEA MURRAY | PHOTOS NICK HAWKINS

This male known as Wolverine—his carcass seen here on Miscou Island, New Brunswick, in early June—was the first right whale fatality in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since 2017. Since then, seven more whales have died.

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onya Wimmer has gotten used to being the bearer of bad news. When someone spots a dead right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence—which has happened eight times this year alone— her Halifax-based organization, the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS), gets the call. Then it’s Wimmer’s job to notify scientists, government officials and conservation groups across the continent, setting in motion a process that’s become dismaying in its familiarity. “I imagine there are several hundred people throughout Canada and the US that hate seeing my name in their inbox,” she says. Once word is out, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will fly a plane to scout the whale’s location. If researchers decide to do a necropsy to pinpoint the cause of death, a ship will tow the whale by its tail to the nearest beach. There, a team of 20 to 30 biologists, veterinarians and students will be waiting in chest waders for the broken and bloated body. Surrounded by the stench of rotting flesh and wielding knives more than a foot long, the team will slice through the whale’s slippery skin and blubber, carving long strips into the carcass. When the cutting is done, they’ll use an excavator to peel back each strip, revealing bones and decomposing organs underneath. Each step of the way, the scientists will search

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for sharp cuts and gashes on the skin, signs of internal bleeding, or fishing rope embedded so deep that bone has started to grow around it. The team will photograph and catalogue each one. They’ll do this for up to 15 hours, until the all the skin has been flayed, until each bone has been wrested from the skeleton, until baleen has been chiseled out of slack-jawed maw—until it’s done. The goal is to figure out how each dead North American right whale was killed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Each death is a tragedy, but in some ways an opportunity, to find new evidence that can be used to influence policy decisions to help save this incredibly at-risk species. Since 2017, 20 whales, out of a population of about 400, have been killed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, most from ship strikes or entanglement in fishing line. That year, the government of Canada enacted strict regulations for both the crab fishery and shipping industries. “It was like a hammer coming down,” says Wimmer. Entire zones were closed to the snow crab fishery, vessels longer than 20 metres (think ferries, cargo, Coast Guard and military ships) ordered to slow down. When no whales were found dead in 2018 (though three were spotted late in the summer, entangled in gear), it looked like these changes were working. In

The Coast

early 2019, seven calves were born after a year with no births—a development seen by many as a hopeful sign. But as summer settled in this year, things changed. Between June 4 and July 19, eight right whales turned up dead in the gulf. There’s no certain reason why this year is different; some of the regulations enacted in 2018 were changed or relaxed slightly in 2019, but last year’s reprieve might have simply been a stroke of dumb luck. “The hard thing is that the right whales are really suffering huge losses in the area, and we don’t have the luxury of time,” says Moira Brown, senior scientist with the Canadian Whale Institute, a research organization based in Campobello Island, NB. “The shipping industry, the fishery, everyone wants to solve this, but we’re not there yet. We haven’t done enough.” The whales’ plight really exploded into public consciousness in 2017, when 12 whales died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and veteran Campobello whale rescuer Joe Howlett was tragically killed while cutting fishing line off an entangled right whale off the coast of Shippagan, NB. But according to those in the know, the current crisis has been building for years—at least in part to a delayed response by government to warnings from the conservation community.

The problem is reminiscent of all the ways we fail to make societal change in the face of scientific evidence. We know what do to—but it’s not that easy. Too many people, industries and cultures have to change in concert, and not everyone has the same priorities. Monumental shifts take time.

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n June 25, wildlife pathologist Megan Jones and her team of students and veterinarians, mostly based out of the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, were conducting their second necropsy of the season on a quiet beach in Petit Étang, Cape Breton. In one direction, the deep green of the Cape Breton Highlands stretched across the horizon. In the other, a massive, mangled dead whale lay limp on the sand. Punctuation was a 38-year-old female who’d borne eight calves, two of whom have given birth to calves of their own. On this day, she has a six-foot gash running down her back from a ship strike. “Innards that should have been on her belly side were coming out her back,” says Wimmer. Judging by the whale’s enormous size, she’d been healthy, even though scars indicated she’d been hit by ships at least twice before. The necropsy crew worked for 15 hours disassembling Punctuation, piece by piece. When it got dark, they worked by the light

of the excavator. Jones remembers Wimmer approaching her three times that day to tell her three new dead whales had been found in the gulf. “We did three whale necropsies in a seven-day period in three different provinces,” Jones says. The attention paid to each and every whale’s death might be new, but right whale deaths, of course, are not. Right whales—so called because they socialize at the ocean’s surface and contain so much blubber they float like corks after they’re killed, making them the “right whale” to hunt—were almost wiped out by commercial whaling in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By the 1970s, scientists didn’t even know if there were any whales left. In 1980, however, a group was found congregating in the Bay of Fundy. After 1986, when commercial whaling was finally banned, threats to the species became twofold: collisions with ships, and entanglement in fishing gear. Ship strikes break skulls and spines, and propellers carve up flesh. Nylon rope wraps around their bodies, tearing through skin, blubber and bone, even as the whales survive and swim for years while entangled. In 2002, shipping lanes were moved out of right whale feeding grounds in the Grand Manan Basin in the Bay of Fundy, and the Roseway Basin off the southern coast of Nova

Scotia. Seven years later, the population had grown to almost 500 whales. It looked like success. Around that time, however, the whales began moving out of those waters, and no one knew where to find them. For reasons still not understood, the whales’ only source of food, called zooplankton, largely disappeared from the Bay of Fundy. (One theory is that the Gulf of Maine has become too warm for certain types of the tiny crustaceans.) The whales are not electronically tagged, but surveilled by observers on planes and ships. And the ocean is a big place. Then, in 2015, the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—armed with information about potential new habitat locations from Canadian researchers like University of New Brunswick’s Kim Davies—started flying surveillance planes over the Gulf of St. Lawrence. “What we discovered was very exciting, very curious, very new, very unexpected,” says Davies. That summer, more whales were spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence than in the Bay of Fundy. But this wasn’t exactly good news. The gulf is a marine highway straight into the heart of North America, feeding thousands of ships a year into ports from Quebec to the Great Lakes. Here, massive container ships didn’t slow down, and the sea was a maze of

snow crab fishing gear from May to July—precisely when the whales arrived. More than 80 percent of them bore entanglement scars, and calving rates had dropped by 40 percent. And that brings us to 2019, eight whales dead so far. No one was prepared for this. But we could have been. Last fall, the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, Julie Gelfand, released an audit report on the protection of marine mammals in Canada. In an October meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, she told a group of MPs that the government had been “very slow to take action to reduce threats to marine animals.” What they did implement in 2018 with regards to right whales, she argued, was “reactive, limited and late.” Gelfand is not the only one pointing out delays in government action. In a paper released earlier this year, Davies and Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Sean Brilliant noted that though a right whale recovery strategy (required under the Species-at-Risk Act) was finished in 2009, “thereafter no significant new federal action to project right whales occurred until the 2017 mortality crisis.” On the phone from his office in Halifax, Brilliant says, “there is no doubt that if we had done something [then], we wouldn’t be in the dire situation we’re in now.”

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n 2009, the federal government released a right whale recovery strategy developed in partnership with non-government researchers like the whale institute’s Moira Brown. The strategy outlined recovery objectives, including reducing mortality due to vessel strikes and entanglements. A step-by-step guide to achieve these goals was to be laid out in a “recovery action plan,” and finished within five years of the initial strategy. By 2017, the action plan was three years late. (Brown points out the fact that researchers had trouble finding the whales’ new habitat, after they started moving out of the Bay of Fundy in 2010, might have added to the delay.) In an email to The Coast, a DFO representative wrote that a proposed action plan was finally complete and posted for public comment in 2016, and that “a final version of this Action Plan was prepared in 2017, and was awaiting publication when mortalities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence occurred.” Of course, everything changed in 2017. The government enacted emergency regulations that year and in 2018. They included speed restrictions and fishery closures both permanent and temporary, depending on the area. If a single whale was spotted in a temporary closure zone, all gear had to come out of the water, and the fishery was shut down for 15 days.

The Coast • AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28, 2019 • 11

2019-08-21 5:18 PM

COVER STORY

MUSIC AND ARTS NEWS EDITED BY MORGAN MULLIN SEND TIPS TO ARTS@THECOAST.CA THEATRE

Tea time with a twist—of fate The Dartmouth Heritage Museum will serve a murder mystery at its historic Evergreen House. BY MORGAN MULLIN

I After 2018 passed with no deaths, those rules were amended after consultation with the fishing and shipping industries. For instance, in response to resupply delays to local communities and cruise ship cancellations, Transport Canada removed some speed restrictions near the Magdalene Islands and north of Anticosti Island (in the northern part of the gulf). “The rationale was that there had been no right whale sightings in the last couple of years in [those areas],” says Michelle Sanders, director of clean water policy for Transport Canada. Also loosened was the rule of closures when one whale was spotted, instead requiring three to be spotted. This reverted back to one whale after the deaths in June and July. DFO changed the shape and the size of permanentclosure areas, based on data showing where 90 percent of the right whales had been seen in peak fishing season in 2018. That decision was a subject of debate by non-government scientists, who argue DFO should have relied on location data from every year since 2015. Indeed, when the whales started showing up in May and June this spring, they were seen much farther east and north than previously, many outside of closure areas and one inside the shipping lane. DFO’s director of fisheries resource management, Adam Burns, says there were some changes to the static area, but he stresses, “The total area of protection of static”—permanent—“and dynamic”—temporary—“zones is the same as 2018.” Whether these changes led to this year’s mortality crisis is difficult to say. There are other unknowns affecting the whales’ safety. Besides being unable to predict where the whales will head each year into the gulf, we’re still not sure which migratory path they take to get there. “We don’t have a silver bullet to solve this problem,” says Sean Brilliant, “We can’t put a stop sign at the tip of the Cabot Strait and say no ships allowed. And we can’t say no fishing allowed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...Clearly we need to change the way we use these industries on the ocean, but how we change them isn’t so clear.”

knowing those babies were among the ships and the fishing line was a source of anxiety. “My immediate reaction,” she says, “was, ‘Oh my dear god, they need to get out of the gulf.’”) Now that more whales have been found dead this year than were born, the population is back to where it started before June. The whales have been worse off, but never, in recent history, have so many individuals been so sick or maimed. Scientists are now warning we have about 20 years to save the species before it’s functionally extinct. The flip side of the recent tragedy is that it became a problem no one could ignore. On top of fishing and shipping regulations, the federal government is now supporting the robust right-whale research and conservation community through a $167.4-million Whales Initiative, announced in 2018. Researchers are trying to make up for lost time. Brilliant is working with fishers on testing ropeless gear technology, and since this could take years to develop, DFO and the fishery are investigating the use of line with weak links, or a lower breaking strength, to reduce the severity of entanglements. Davies is researching zooplankton and oceanography to better understand whale movements, and there’s talk from scientists about the benefit of implementing mandatory slow-downs across the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence. But there is a real possibility that what we’re doing now is simply going to be too little, too late. As with our response to the emergency of climate change, forcing systemic shifts to the status quo requires massive coordination between government, scientists and industry, and it becomes more and more difficult as time runs short. Society is like Brilliant’s description of a cargo vessel moving through a shipping lane: “These ships cannot stop, and they cannot steer.” “We need to roll our sleeves up our arms and start hammering out protection measures that do more than the ones are doing now,” says Brown. “There is going to be a period of trial and error, but the whales can’t really afford any errors.” a

W

hen four of the seven right whale calves born this year were spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence this summer, it was seen as a good news story, a sign of hope for the species. (Though Tonya Wimmer of MARS admits that

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Chelsea Murray is a writer and editor based in Halifax, and co-founder of The Deep, The Coast’s award-winning sister site publishing longform journalism for Atlantic Canada.

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the historical Evergreen House, complete with sponge cake—followed by a whodunnit that sees guests play supporting characters aiming to solve the crime. “Originally we had planned for about 30 people but it kept selling and now it’s double that” Casteel adds. Here, she breaks down what those who RSVP’d “yes” on their Victorian-style calling cards can expect:

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RACHEL MCGRATH

Punctuation was a 38-year-old female killed by a ship strike. While the team of researchers worked on Punctuation’s necropsy—late June in Petit Étang, Cape Breton—three more dead whales were spotted at sea.

t all started when Aries Casteel, a heritage interpreter at the Dartmouth Heritage Museum, was tasked with creating some seasonal programming. “I loved Evergreen House because it’s an old Victorian home,” Casteel explains. “I was inspired by a murder-mystery tea I went to in my old city in Alberta,” she says, speaking by phone. Soon, a plan began to take shape: An old-fashioned tea at

EVERGREEN MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT SAT AUG 24, 7-9:30PM, EVERGREEN HISTORIC HOUSE, 26 NEWCASTLE STREET, DARTMOUTH $25-$100

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“We have a lot of costumes in the collection [at the Dartmouth Heritage Museum] and we also have a dress-up room,” Casteel shares. Main characters Lord and Lady Evergreen sport the most intricate, era-appropriate looks, but all the actors involved will be donning their freshest, 1850s-y threads, like these elbow-length gloves.

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“I wanted it to be more Dartmouth-focused,” Casteel says, explaining how she created character profiles for each guest. “There’s a group of guests whose characters all own a skating company [inspired by the Starr Manufacturing Company, established in Dartmouth in 1861] to get a sense of the local history without being too specific.”

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“I was researching a lot about Victorian women and their high tea. There’s a lot of protocol about what tea pots to use, what linens,” Casteel says. “Like, for example, red tablecloths were for royalty only. I knew that the Dartmouth Heritage Museum had done other teas at Evergreen House in the past so I wanted to incorporate that.”

The Coast

2019-08-21 5:19 PM

Arts MUSIC

norc brings your lucid dreams to life Genre-blending three-piece drops a debut EP made with ginseng and honey. BY JADE NAUSS

Everyday life and religious iconography are revered in equal measure by Launcelott’s lens . NOW

REVIEW

Photographer Anne Launcelott captures the face of rural Russia, Now norc blend “boppy, dancey synth and math rock drumming. NOMOREEXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY

norc w/The Brood, No, It’s Fine., Sleeping Machines Thu Aug 22, 8pm-12am The Seahorse Tavern 2037 Gottingen Street $8

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lthough they hail from the Annapolis Valley, the three members of norc first met here in Halifax: Guitarist Zach Hazelwood and drummer Ryan Holland got together and played a show as a duo, but something was missing—or rather, someone. Enter Christiana Armstrong with her keyboard, synthesizers and vocal skills. (Armstrong is also in local bands The Pace Family and Izra Fitch.) Fast-forward two years and the experimental rock trio are becoming seasoned performers—and now they want to give listeners something to stream. “It was critical to get our music out there,” says Armstrong, “so people have something to listen to, to start to understand our sound and vision.” And that sound, that vision? It’s playful, sad, hypnotic and otherworldly. Listening to norc’s debut EP with ginseng and honey feels like listening in on a lucid dream—an iced-teainfused lucid dream, that is. “The band’s inside joke is that we just love Arizona iced tea,” says Holland, “and Arizona is made with ginseng and honey. We drank so much of it in the process of writing, playing and recording the songs, we figured the album was made with ginseng and honey too.” Along with the contents of those familiar tall cans, the genre-bending-and-blending trio poured a combination of sounds into their EP: “We draw heavily from the mind-bending plains of psychedelic rock, the twinkly

telecaster guitar lines of math rock and impressions from places like electronic music, vaporwave, Studio Ghibli, video games, even metal,” says Armstrong. “We all love metal,” she continues. “And there are some big moments, like the closing track on the EP, ‘Obsidian,’ where you can really pick up that we do love a good head bang. But in that same song, there’s boppy, dancey, synth and math rock drumming.” There’s a lot going on in five relatively short songs, which are a mix of instrumental tracks and vocal tracks. But it all comes together as something strange and beautiful. “It’s the start of a mysterious journey that we want to take listeners on,” says Armstrong. To that end, the trio is planning something immersive for the release party on Thursday at the Seahorse Tavern—something to engage their audience’s ears and eyes. “We are always looking forward to our next performance,” says Holland, “but this one more than ever. It’s going to be a huge celebration for us personally, with the release of the EP after years of work, so we’re going all out for this one.” The music is a given—they’re gonna lull you into their sweet-tea-soaked dreamworld. But the trio is also planning to turn up the psychedelic vibe with a light show. There will be laser lights, H2O lights for that floaty, underwater feeling, and bright lights in an array of colours. Oh, and surprise: The first one hundred people will get a pair of holographic diffraction glasses which, Holland explains, “will dial the trippy factor to 11.” “Our show is an experience,” Holland says, “one that we keep enhancing visually, as well as musically.” a

An eye for composition and mimicry of Byzantine style means these travel snaps are a true cultural exchange. BY MOLLIE CRONIN Now Daily to Aug 31 Teichert Gallery, 1723 Hollis Street

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n the genre of travel photography, the visiting artist runs the risk of moving through their locales like an invasive species: capturing subjects without permission, walking into sacred and private moments with the unearned authority of the western traveller (an especially cringe-worthy phenomenon when race and class are at play, as they so often are). But, when done right, this type of photography has the ability to show compassionate glimpses into cultural exchanges—and reveal eager subjects happy to share their world. In Now, a collection of photographs from a 2018 trip to Russia, artist Anne Launcelott introduces us to a small village and the people that make up its community. The population of the village is an aging one, centred around the nearby farms, churches and the local shop—all of which serve as backdrops for Launcelott’s subjects. The show is small—just nine pieces—

but is quite impactful. There are moments where subjects appear caught off guard (a woman sweeping, figures in prayer) but there are also moments where farmers pose proudly with their equipment or an old man stands with his accordion, the shelves behind him overflowing with pots and vessels.Launcelott has a wonderful eye for composition, and manages to represent her subjects in poses that often mirror the Byzantine styles of religious iconography so common in Russian Orthodoxy: The painted saints with their severe, dark-eyed faces, standing tall and willowy as the bright gold around them begins to chip. In some ways Launcelott captures the villagers as these saints come to life—a man standing leanly between two such paintings, or a priest swinging incense, his dark beard and square, black headpiece mirroring the image of Christ’s face in draped cloth above. Much like the churches themselves, Launcelott’s images hold drama and warmth with their deep shadows and golden candles, as well as the reality and harshness of decay. a

$7,500 The amount Halifax artist Séamus Gallagher won as Nova Scotia’s regional finalist in the nation-wide 1st Art! competition last week. The artist—who works in photography, performance and virtual reality—is the first to win the award with time-based media; in this case, the virtual reality haus of haraway, which they describe as “an architectural space I created, a house which I made in an Oculus Rift.”

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Entertainment Listings

Live Music JOE MURPHY & THE WATER STREET BLUES BAND Your Father’s Moustache SPIRIT OF THE WILDFIRE W/JUNE BODY, MATTEL’S, NOTHING SERIOUS Read more about Spirit Of The Wildfire’s new single on thecoast.ca! Oasis Pub, $8, 9pm

Music You’re here! Events P15 On Stage Still here! Visual Arts P15

Sunday August 25

› ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS PICKS WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY MORGAN MULLIN

Send event listings to listings@thecoast.ca. Print deadline Thursday, 5pm

PLETE

Music

SURE THINGS

SEE COM

SIC LIVE MU LINE

Big Ticket Shows

ON LISTINGS ST.CA OA AT THEC

THE BURNING HELL W/MUSEUM PIECES, GIANNA LAUREN See photo. The Carleton, 1685 Argyle Street, $25 8-11pm

Sure Thing

Thursday August 22 Big Ticket Shows MATT MAYS W/JON SAMUEL Shore Club, 250 Shore Club Road, Hubbards, Aug 22-24, 10pm

DJ + Dancing ‘90S NIGHT W/ DJ REWIND Toothy Moose AUDIO THERAPY THURSDAYS Reflections DJ IV W/DJ OKAY TK Vinyl Retro Lounge DJ RANDY Monte’s, Free, 10pm THIRSTDAYZ W/DJ DANDERSON Menz, 10pm

Live Music ALLY FIOLA Compass Distillers, 7:30pm LANDING SOUND The Loose Cannon THE MELLOTONES Bearly’s, 10pm

NORC W/THE BROOD, NO, IT’S FINE., SLEEPING MACHINES Read more on page 13. The Seahorse, $8, 8pm-12am

Friday August 23

PEACE 2 DA FUTURE Toothy Moose, $20

Saturday August 24 Big Ticket Shows

ALL ABOUT THE LADIES: YOUR PEACE Jamaica Vibes, $20 DJ TONY HAZE The Bitter End, 10pm

MATT MAYS W/JON SAMUEL Shore Club, 250 Shore Club Road, Hubbards, Aug 22-24, 10pm FOR THE CULTURE FEAT. LINDELL WIGGINGTON, DJ CHARLIE B, DJ FLATLINE, DJ R$ $MOOTH Boasting it’s the biggest party of the year, this swell soirée celebrates the third annual Peace Tournament with a trio of party-starting DJs and an appearance by NBA player Lindell Wiggington. The Marquee Ballroom 2037 Gottingen Street, $20-$50

Live Music

DJ + Dancing

Big Ticket Shows MATT MAYS W/JON SAMUEL Shore Club, 250 Shore Club Road, Hubbards, 10pm

DJ + Dancing

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DJ + Dancing

ANGUS ROWE

THE BURNING HELL W/ MUSEUM PIECES, GIANNA LAUREN The Burning Hell is exuberant indie-rock, bringing songs about love, loss and Kiefer Sutherland to this, the banner opening night of the Halifax Urban Folk Festival. The Carleton, 1685 Argyle Street, Sun Aug 25, $25, 8-11pm

NATALIE LYNN W/IZRA FITCH, SORE LOSER The Seahorse, $10

AFROBEATS XI Gus’, 10pm-2am DJ RANDY Monte’s, Free, 10pm

Monday August 26 Big Ticket Shows GORDIE SAMPSON SONGCAMP 10TH ANNIVERSARY SONGWRITERS’ CIRCLES The Carleton, 1685 Argyle Street, 8-11pm

Live Music DAVE & LOUIS Old Triangle, 7-10pm

Wednesday August 28 Big Ticket Shows PIPE DREAMS SCREENING AND LIVE ORGAN CONCERT A special, pre-theatrical-release screening of the flick that traces five elite, millennial organ players as they train for the olympics of organ-playing. Rounding out the show? A Q&A session with the director and one of the subjects/organists Thomas Gaynor— with a live organ performance by Gaynor himself. St. Matthew’s United Church, 1479 Barrington Street, $20/$25, 7pm

ON STAGE

Theatre THE ARGYLE STREET KITCHEN PARTY Neptune Theatre is havin’ a time this summer with its annual warm-weather showcase that stages the east coast kitchen party experience. Neptune Theatre Scotiabank Stage, 1593 Argyle Street, To Aug 25 CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: CRYSTAL See photo on next page. Scotiabank Centre, 5284 Duke Street, Aug 28-31, 7:30pm EVERGREEN MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT The Victorian Evergreen House welcomes you for a night of tea, treats—and murder. Read more on page 12. Evergreen Historic House, 26 Newcastle Street, Sat Aug 24, 7-9:30pm, $25-$100 HENRY THE FIFTH For the first time ever, Shakespeare By The Sea brings this tale of the English-French 100 year war to the Cambridge Battery stage, dishing up relevant-as-ever themes on power, patriotism and propaganda. Cambridge Battery, Point Pleasant Park, 5718 Point Pleasant Drive, Thu Aug 22, 7pm; Sun Aug 25, 7pm; $25/PWYC IN THE RUINS Two Planks and a Passion Theatre proves summer isn’t over just yet as it delivers the world debut of this play by Gillian Clark, billed as “a contemporary adaptation of The Trojan Women by Euripides.” Ross Creek Arts Centre, 555 Ross Creek Road, Canning, Aug 22-Sept 1 LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST Shakespeare By The Sea takes the classic story of four guys who decide to give up all the fun stuff in life and make it an “artistic balm for the daily dilemma of modern sexuality, identity and angst.” A fun bonus? The theatre troupe has flipped the script, with four women filling the leading roles. Cambridge Battery, Point Pleasant Park, 5718 Point Pleasant Drive, Sat Aug 24, 7pm; Tue Aug 27, 7pm; $25/PWYC THE WIZARD OF OZ Park Place Theatre, bottom parking lot of Point Pleasant Park, To Aug 25, 1pm; $20/PWYC

The Coast

2019-08-21 4:14 PM

Events

VISUAL ARTS

Galleries

THE SUPREME TEEN ZINE FAIR Teens and youth share and sell their zines at this sweet fair that also boasts secret musical guests. Radstorm, 2177 Gottingen Street, 1-4:30pm, PWYC

SUBMITTED

ART 1274 HOLLIS Daily 10amVIS ARTS 6pm, 1274 Hollis Street LISTINGS An Interior Life Karen Phinney delivers detailed renderings of personal spaces, filled with crisp outlines and Hollis Sigler vibes. To Sep 5

Sunday August 25 GUIDED TOURS OF MCNABS ISLAND Departing from Eastern Passage with A&M Sea Charters, (87 Government Wharf Road), this sweet, summery voyage sees you hike along the storied isle, Confirm your spot by emailing info@ mcnabsisland.ca. $20/$25 GUIDED WALK OF HISTORIC BEDFORD Scott Manor House, 15 Fort Sackville Road, Bedford, 1-2pm

Sure Thing

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: CRYSTAL Cirque Du Soleil straps on skates for this totally epic ice show—its first foray into melding figure skating and circus arts—as the troupe promises to defy the laws of gravity with neverbefore-seen acrobatics. Scotiabank Centre, 5284 Duke Street, Aug 28-31, 7:30pm, from $64

Thursday August 22

Friday August 23

AVENGERS: ENDGAME OPEN-AIR SCREENING The whopping 182-minute superhero saga gets a summery outdoor showing complete with popcorn. Dartmouth North Public Library 105 Highfield Park Drive, 7:45pm, free

78TH HIGHLANDERS FREEDOM OF THE CITY PARADE A parade that sees the kitted-out Halifax Citadel’s 78th Highlanders depart from the national historic site on a march to Grand Parade square replete with pipes, drums and flying colours. Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, 5425 Sackville Street, 11am

CONJURERS’ COURT: A MAGIC SHOW The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen Street 7:30pm HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS PRE-SEASON GAME VERSUS SAINT JOHN SEADOGS RBC Centre, 259 Commodore Drive, Darmouth, 7pm JUST VORLAUFS! W/DAN HENDRICKEN, NICK BURDEN, FROST KEPLAR, AND ADAM MYATT An outdoor comedy experience. Good Robot Brewing Co., 2736 Robie Street, 8-10pm, free THIRD ANNUAL PEACE TOURNAMENT A city-wide tournament promoting unity and celebrating basketball, Peace Basketball Tournament sees courts all over town booked up. Peep the whole schedule by following @peacetournament on Instagram plus afterparties happening at The Marquee (on Saturday) and Jamaica Vibes (on Friday). Aug 22-25

EYELEVEL SUMMER BARBECUE A super-summery feast for the stomach and soul awaits at this barbecue featuring $5 burgers, artist-curated slushes and quality tunes. Eyelevel Gallery, 5663 Cornwallis Street, Suite 100, 4-6pm LIFE WRITING WORKSHOP The Fiddlehead celebrates its upcoming 75th anniversary by hosting this workshop with writer and educator Anthazia Kadir that sees newcomers and other Canadians crafting stories about their lives. Email thefiddlehead@gmail.com to snag a spot! Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, 1055 Marginal Road, 9am-4pm, free LINDELL WIGGINTON Meet NBA player Lindell Wigginton at this meet-and-greet that’s also a fundraiser for kid’s school supplies. Staples, 114 Woodlawn Road, Dartmouth, 2pm

SPEAK DATING A friendly spot for you to brush up on your language skills, this event sees folks making small talk in French from 1 to 2:30pm and then Italian from 2:30 to 4pm. Halifax Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Road, 1-4pm POETRY IN THE GARDENS A live reading of verse by local poets, held in front of the bandstand. Halifax Public Gardens, Spring Garden and South Park, 4-6pm STAND UP COMEDY AT CAFE LARA Dan Hendricken hosts this hilarious night out that features the laugh-getting talent of Travis Lindsay, Adam Myatt and Emma Mader. Cafe Lara, 2347 Agricola Street, 6:30pm, free

Saturday August 24 24 HOUR ZINE CHALLENGE Zine lovers, start your engines! You have a scant 24 hours to create the DIY magazine of your dreams at this supplies-provided sesh. Supplies and snacks are provided. Radstorm, 2177 Gottingen Street, 5pm MAGICAL SEDUCTION: A BURLESQUE AND DRAG SHOW “Join us for a rhinestone and glitter soaked show that will delve into the weird and wonderful,” show organizers offer. Menz & Mollyz Bar, 2182 Gottingen Street, 9pm, $15 PAINT THE PARK Head to Mulgrave Park (57 Jarvis Lane) for this live mural painting sesh featuring local, national and international artists.

ART GALLERY OF NOVA SCOTIA Tue-Sun 10am5pm, Thurs 10am-9pm, 1723 Hollis Street Salvador Dali, a suite of prints To Oct 27 Halifax Harbour 1918 To Sep 2 Here We Are Here: Black Canadian Contemporary Art A stereotype-challenging, narrativereshaping exploration of Blackness in Canada. To Oct 27 Worn Inward A collection of works by eight Indigenous artists, this show acts as a response to Jordan Bennett’s AGNS exhibition Ketu’elmita’jik. To Oct 13 CHASE GALLERY Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, Wed 8:30am-8:30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, 6016 University Avenue Natural Selection Ron Hayes debuts a collection of paintings. To Aug 30 CORRIDOR GALLERY Mon-Fri 9:30am–5pm, 1113 Marginal Road Flat Form Ada Denil’s large-scale prints remind the viewer of origami or angular puzzle pieces. To Aug 29 CRAIG GALLERY Tue-Fri 12-5:30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-3pm, Alderney Landing, 2 Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth The Circus of Unrealized Dreams Jan Hull debuts a collection of sandstone sculptures. To Sep 8 Words and Pictures: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Jim Parsons shares a series of paintings inspired by T. S. Elliot’s stream-of-thought opus “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” To Sep 8

Tuesday August 27 THE BIG SING The all-levels pop music chorus tackles “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton this week. Bring the voice you have! Gus’, 2605 Agricola Street, 6:30-9pm, $5

THE DART GALLERY Tue–Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 10am-2pm, 127A Portland Street, Dartmouth The Ear Favours No Particular Point of View Stephanie Currie’s oil paintings are inspired by song lyrics. To Sep 5

Wednesday August 28

HERMES Sat-Sun 12-6pm, 5682 North Street Morning Coffee Harold Klee guides us through his morning routine: a coffee followed by a walk around central Halifax, film camera in hand. Each morning is preserved in 36 frames, developed in the artist’s home using Caffenol—a homemade, coffee-based photo developing agent. To Aug 31

ROBIESCOPE SCREENS THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER The summer movie series continues with a showing of the 1981 Jim Henson journalistic classic. Good Robot Brewing Co., 2736 Robie Street, 8pm, free TINDER TALES LIVE Halifax comics share their own dating horror stories from the world of swiping right at this laugh-out-loud showcase. Yuk Yuk’s, 1181 Hollis Street, The Westin Nova Scotian, 8pm, $14.79 For more listings, see thecoast.ca.

VISIT T.CA THECOAS E FOR MOR

KHYBER CENTRE FOR THE ARTS Tue-Sat 12-5pm, 1880 Hollis Street Hopelessly Devoted To You The Khyber’s latest group show sees artists sharing works about everything from late capitalism to Olivia Newton-John. To Aug 24 TEICHERT GALLERY Sun-Mon 12-5pm, Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, 1723 Hollis Street Now Read our review of Anne Launcelott’s travel photography on page 13. To Aug 31

The Coast • AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28, 2019 • 15

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LOVE THE WAY WE BITCH / LOVE 2309 Maynard Street, Halifax, NS B3K 3T8 Phone: 902-422-6278, Fax: 902-425-0013 Email: coast@thecoast.ca EDITORIAL Editor Kyle Shaw (editor@thecoast.ca) Deputy Editor Allison Saunders (allisons@thecoast.ca) Arts & Entertainment Editor Morgan Mullin (arts@thecoast.ca) City Editor Caora McKenna (news@thecoast.ca) Copy Editor Andrew Bethune Cannabis Editor Meg Hubley (thereef@thecoast.ca) Birthday Wishes Writer Stephen Kimber (stephenk@thecoast.ca) Contributing Writers Chris Benjamin, Jane Kansas, Carsten Knox, Brennan McCracken Contributing Editors Melissa Buote, Lezlie Lowe, Stephanie Johns, Tara Thorne Contributing Photographers Meghan Tansey Whitton, Lenny Mullins, Alexa Cude, Riley Smith Contributing Illustrators Paul Hammond, Tim Carpenter, Mollie Cronin, Jordyn Bochon Housing Reporter Sandra C. Hannebohm (housing@thecoast.ca) ACTIVE MARKETING PROFESSIONALS Director of Sales and Marketing Christa Harrie (christah@thecoast.ca) Account Executive Kate Spurr (kate@thecoast.ca) Account Executive Haley Clarke (haley@thecoast.ca) PRODUCTION & ONLINE Production Manager Pam Nicoll (pamn@thecoast.ca) Production Designer Jess Hartjes (jess@thecoast.ca) Production Assistant Kirsten Aitken Imaging Consultant Kevin Cunningham

❤ Loved your smile and style

Looking for a sweet-looking guy who gave me a quick smile on the #2 bus to Mumford 18/08/19. He had long hair in a low pony, a septum piercing, metal tee, green shorts and grey backpack. I sat across from you and was chatting excitedly with my sis. This seems crazy to even me, but thought I might try. Not too many people feel like home when you look at them. —RM 10 out of 10 experience

❤ (there were SNACKS)

I had to get an abortion here in NS a few months ago, and as a young individual who absolutely could not tell my parents, I was understandably terrified. However, what I found was that Nova Scotia has a GREAT abortion set up. It’s super-easy to self-refer to the Women’s Choice Clinic, and set up the necessary appointments and everything (the wait time is minimal). When they call you, it’s a blocked number so no one around you get suspicious. It’s all run by women, and everyone is so nice. At

THE COMIC

OPERATIONS Office Manager Audra McKenna (audram@thecoast.ca) Distribution Team David MacPhee, Bob Mitchell, Steve Amero Front Desk Enforcer Kyla Derry (kylad@thecoast.ca) Publisher Christine Oreskovich (christineo@thecoast.ca) The Coast is Halifax’s weekly newspaper, published every Thursday by Coast Publishing Limited. The Coast’s goal is to be provocative, entertaining and truthful. Coast Publishing Limited takes no responsibility for the onset of Halifax’s annual case of newstudentitis, with symptoms like swollen lines at the grocery store. The Coast is printed locally on recycled stock with 23,000 copies distributed throughout Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford. Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40027554. Please return undeliverable addresses to the Distribution Department, 2309 Maynard Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3T8 (email distribution@thecoast.ca). Staff and management of The Coast neither advocate nor encourage the use of products or services advertised herein for illegal purposes. All rights reserved. © 2019. Independent and locally owned, founded in 1993.

no point did anyone try to convince me against getting an abortion, and all the nurses and doctors were so nice. The actual day-of process was smooth, the waiting rooms have couches, colouring books, snacks and music playing. There are lots of other women there going through the same thing, and honestly it’s a very supportive atmosphere. You can opt to have pain killers and an anti-anxiety med to calm you down. Afterwards you are given a popsicle (and more snacks) and you go to a recovery room until you are ready to go. You are also referred to a psychologist if you feel you need it

(not mandatory). Not only was the entire process free, but easy as well. I’m so happy Nova Scotia has such accessible abortions, and such a wonderful set-up to support women. 10 out of 10 best hospital experience ever, please don’t be afraid or feel ashamed. <3 —Young, Sometimes Dumb, But Well Taken Care Of Don’t yeet the lanes Never did I think I would be a certified Halifax Angry Bike Person complaining to The Coast, but here I am. To whoever thought it would be good idea to extend the bus stop sidewalk four feet into the street on South Park Street, I sincerely wish you had not suggested this. Not only did the city yeet the bike lanes away, it now makes it dangerous to ride a bike because you have to avoid the sidewalk that pops out into the street. Once again, Halifax has robbed bikers of beloved bike lanes. —First-time Angry Biker

!

Many-faced blood-sucking parasites Poly-ticks. Sigh. So another election is approaching, and again there

!

!

❤

will be endless rhetoric about poor voter turnout. There will also be the “if you don’t vote you don’t get to complain” guilt trips. If you don’t vote then it’s a vote for the other party. Horseshit, I say. These are not reasons to vote. They are thinly veiled threats to distract you from the valid feeling that there is no one worthy of your vote. If voting is so damn terrific. then why aren’t the so-called leaders doing more to earn our vote rather than spewing the same half-truths and nonsense as every other election. It’s the members of the political parties who are “disrespecting those who gave their lives” as they don’t show enough integrity to warrant buying an apple from them, let alone be our provincial or federal leaders. We should expect more from the candidates if they want our precious X on a ballot. Time to step up! —None Of The Above

What wilderness are we wild for this week? Halifax Wilderness Park Seal Island First on scene ❤ I just wanted to thank all of the wonderful people who stopped to help me after I flipped over the handlebars of my motorbike driving down the Bedford Highway earlier this week. A huge thank-you to the off-duty firefighter and two nurses who stopped to help, to the guy who called 911, to the guy who used his shirt to shield me from the sun and the woman who lent me her sunglasses. If I am forgetting to thank others who had stopped, I apologize but it is still all a blur. None of you needed to do what you did, but I am very thankful and grateful that there are people like you out there. —Battered, Bruised, Bit-broken Biker More bitching Go online to post your rant at thecoast.ca/bitch

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The Coast

2019-08-21 5:43 PM

Free Will Astrology

ROB BREZSNY says it’s a good time to cultivate your intuition, Capricorn

Virgo

(Aug 23-Sep 22)

Yisrael Kristal was a Polish Jew born under the sign of Virgo in 1903. His father was a scholar of the Torah, and he began studying Judaism and learning Hebrew at age three. He lived a long life and had many adventures, working as a candle-maker and a candy-maker. When the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945, Kristal emerged as one of the survivors. He went on to live to the age of 113. Because of the chaos of World War I, he had never gotten to do his bar mitzvah when he’d turned 13. So he did it much later, in his old age. I foresee a comparable event coming up soon in your life, Virgo. You will claim a reward or observe a milestone or collect a blessing you weren’t able to enjoy earlier. Happy birthday this week to: Cia Tweel, Maddy Carter, Jason Eisener, Phlis McGregor, Marnie Gillis, Paige Sawler, Jessica Linzey, Chrissy Clothier, Erin Tilley. Send your big day to bday@ thecoast.ca

Libra

(Sep 23-Oct 22)

Sailors have used compasses to navigate since the 11th century. But that tool wasn’t enough to guide them. A thorough knowledge of the night sky’s stars was a crucial aid. Skill at reading the ever-changing ocean currents always proved valuable. Another helpful trick was to take birds on the ships as collaborators. While at sea, if the birds flew off and returned, the sailors knew there was no land close by. If the birds didn’t return, chances were good that land was near. I bring this to your attention, Libra, because I think it’s an excellent time to gather a number of different navigational tools for your upcoming quest. One won’t be enough.

Scorpio

(Oct 23-Nov 21)

What do you want from the allies who aren’t your lovers? What feelings do you most enjoy while you’re in the company of your interesting, non-romantic companions? For instance, maybe you like to be respected and appreciated. Or perhaps what’s most important to you is to experience the fun of being challenged and stimulated. Maybe your favourite feeling is the spirit of collaboration and comradeship. Or maybe all of the above. In any case, Scorpio, I urge you to get clear about what you want—and then make it your priority to foster it. In the coming weeks, you’ll have the power to generate an abundance of your favourite kind of non-sexual togetherness.

Sagittarius

(Nov 22-Dec 21)

As the CEO of the clothes company Zappos, Sagittarius entrepreneur Tony Hsieh is worth almost a billion dollars. If he chose, he could live in a mansion by the sea. Yet his home

is a 200-square-foot, $48,000 trailer in Las Vegas, where he also keeps his pet alpaca. To be clear, he owns the entire trailer park, which consists of 30 other trailers, all of which are immaculate hotbeds of high-tech media technology where interesting people live. He loves the community he has created, which is more important to him than status and privilege. “For me, experiences are more meaningful than stuff,” he says. “I have way more experiences here.” I’d love to see you reaffirm your commitment to priorities like his in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. It’ll be a favourable time to do so.

Capricorn

(Dec 22-Jan 19)

Medical researcher Jonas Salk developed a successful polio vaccine, so he had a strong rational mind. Here’s how he described his relationship with his non-rational way of knowing. He said, “It is always with excitement that I wake up in the morning wondering what my intuition will toss up to me, like gifts from the sea. I work with it and rely on it. It’s my partner.” I bring this up, Capricorn, because the coming weeks will be a favourable time to cultivate your own intuition. You may generate amazing results as you learn to trust it more and figure out how to deepen your relationship with it.

Aquarius

(Jan 20-Feb 18)

Aquarian environmentalist Edward Abbey once formulated a concise list of his requirements for living well. “One must be reasonable in one’s demands on life,” he wrote. “For myself, all that I ask is: 1. accurate information; 2. coherent knowledge; 3. deep understanding; 4. infinite loving wisdom; 5. no more kidney stones, please.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, now would be an excellent time for you to create your own tally of the Five Crucial Provisions. Be bold and precise as you inform life about your needs.

Pisces

(Feb 19-Mar 20)

“We may be surprised at whom God sends to answer our prayers,” wrote author Janette Oke. I suspect that observation will apply to you in the coming weeks. If you’re an atheist or agnostic, I’ll rephrase her formulation for you: “We may be surprised at whom Life sends to answer our entreaties.” There’s only one important thing you have to do to co-operate with this experience: Set aside your expectations about how help and blessings might appear.

Aries

(Mar 21-Apr 19)

It’s not cost-efficient to recycle plastic. Sorting and processing the used materials to make them available for fresh stuff is at least as expensive as creating new plastic items from scratch. On the other hand, sending used plastic to a recycling centre makes it far less likely that it will end up in the oceans and waterways, harming living creatures. So in this case, the short-term financial argument in favour of recycling is insubstantial, whereas the moral argument is strong. I invite you to apply a similar perspective to your upcoming decisions.

Taurus

(Apr 20-May 20)

African-American slaves suffered many horrendous deprivations. For example, it was illegal for them to learn to read. Their oppressors feared that educated slaves would be better equipped to agitate for freedom, and took extreme measures to keep them illiterate. Frederick Douglass was one slave who managed to beat the ban. As he secretly mastered the art of reading and writing, he came upon literature that ultimately emboldened him to escape his “owners” and flee to safety. He became one of the 19th century’s most powerful abolitionists, producing reams of influential writing and speeches. I propose that we make Douglass your inspiring role model for the coming months. I think you’re ready to break the hold of a certain curse—and go on to achieve a gritty success that the curse had prevented you from accomplishing.

Gemini

(May 21-Jun 20)

For 25 years, businessperson Don Thompson worked for the McDonald’s fast food company, including three years as its CEO. During that time, he oversaw the sale and consumption of millions of hamburgers. But in 2015, he left McDonald’s and became part of Beyond Meat, a company that sells vegan alternatives to meat. I could see you undergoing an equally dramatic shift in the coming months, Gemini: a transition into a new role that resembles but is also very different from a role you’ve been playing. I urge you to step up your fantasies about what that change might entail.

Cancer

(Jun 21-Jul 22)

“The learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot,” wrote author Audre Lorde. As an astrologer I would add this nuance: although what Lorde says is true, some phases of your life are more favourable than others to seek deep and rapid education. For example, the coming weeks will bring you especially rich teachings if you incite the learning process now.

Leo

(Jul 23-Aug 22)

The American idiom “stay in your lane” has come to mean “mind your own business”, and usually has a pejorative sense. But I’d like to expand it and soften it for your use in the coming weeks. Let’s define it as meaning “stick to what you’re good at and know about” or “don’t try to operate outside your area of expertise” or “express yourself in ways that you have earned the right to do.” Author Zadie Smith says that this is good advice for writers. “You have to work out what it is you can’t do, obscure it and focus on what works,” she attests. Apply that counsel to your own sphere or field, Leo. a

Go to freewillastrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available at 877-873-4888.

The Coast • AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28, 2019 • 17

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Savage Love SEX ADVICE FROM DAN SAVAGE mail@savagelove.net

All kinds of quickies Consent and sexsomnia, safe bukkake, “come” versus “jizz” and loads more. Molly with my best bud. We wound I’ve seen maps that track regionalisms Q Iuptookcuddling and telling each other ev- A like “soda” versus “pop,” SPUNK, but I’ve erything. We didn’t mess around—we’re both never seen one tracking “come” versus “jizz.” straight guys—but one of the things I told him is that I would much rather eat pussy than fuck, and one of the things he told me is that he’s not at all into eating pussy and pretty much only likes to fuck. I think we’d make a great team: We’re both good-looking, athletic dudes and we should find a woman who loves to have her pussy eaten and loves to get fucked. I would go down on her and get her going (and coming), then he steps in and dicks her down (and gets her off one last time). What say you?

—Ultimate Package Deal

A

I would say, “FUCK YES!” if I were a woman, UPD, which I’m not. And while I can’t promise you every woman will have the same reaction I did, some women most definitely will.

a male in my late 50s. I went to Q I’m a urologist for my erection problem,

which was helped with ED medication. But orgasms are very hard to achieve, and the ED medication does not seem to make orgasms any easier to have. My girlfriend appreciates the erections, but I would also like to climax. This is very frustrating. Any advice?

—Pills Inhibiting Lusty Loads

A

Tits and dicks both sag with age, which is why push-up bras and push-up pills were invented. And while ED meds do make it easier for a guy to get an erection, they can also make it more difficult for a guy to climax. Upside: You last longer. Downside: You may sometimes have sex without climaxing. Or you can shift your perspective and try to see this downside as a secret upside: Sometimes you get to enjoy sex without climaxing—and next time, when you do climax, you’ll blow a bigger load.

recently begun to experiment with a Q I’ve few kinky friends. One of them is a voyeur who is super into bukkake. I’d be open to a group bukkake scene, but how do I avoid contracting an STI?

—Anonymous Assistant

A

“On me, not in me” was a safe-sex message crafted in the earliest, darkest, most terrifying days of the AIDS Crisis—and a bukkake scene, which involves multiple men ejaculating on one person, is all about “on me,” which makes it relatively safe. So long as you’re careful not to get anyone’s come in your eyes (ocular gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are all things) or on your hole(s), you won’t have anything to worry about.

there a regional difference between Q Ispeople who use the word “come” versus

people who use “jizz?” I personally only use the word “come” and rarely hear anyone use “jizz.” Do people not use “jizz” or do they just not use it where I live?

—Seeking Pretty Unnecessary Niche Knowledge

Seems like something a sex-positive linguist might want to jump on.

a 46-year-old man and I recently met Q I’m a 31-year-old woman. We have not had

PIV sex yet, but we have enjoyed several nights of cuddling, spooning, etc. as the relationship progresses. She has made it very clear she wants our first time to be a fairy-tale evening, so we have yet to take things past mild foreplay. Plot twist: After two nights of us sleeping together, I realized she’s a sexsomniac. She had no idea until I told her, and she barely believes me. But if I put my arm around her to cuddle when she’s asleep, she immediately sexually responds to the skin-to-skin contact. On two occasions she’s performed oral on me. I’m not complaining, as this is quite possibly every guy’s dream. My question is around consent when dealing with situations like this.

—She’s My Dream Girl

A

Unless your new girlfriend gave you permission to initiate skin-to-skin contact in the middle of the night—unless she not only didn’t have a problem with the first blowjob you triggered but explicitly gave you the goahead to trigger more—you have already and repeatedly violated her consent. If she doesn’t want to do more than cuddle or spoon when she’s awake, you shouldn’t be manipulating her into blowing you when she’s asleep. Most people who are partnered with sexsomniacs prefer not to have sex with their partners when they’re unconscious, but some do—with their sexsomniac partner’s prior consent. It’s a grey area, because an unconscious person can’t offer meaningful, enthusiastic, ongoing consent. But unless there are details you’ve omitted—details like your partner saying, “I blew you in my sleep? Really! Neat! I’m happy to keep doing that!”—stop initiating skin-toskin contact when she’s asleep or stop pretending you care about consent. (You should care about consent and you should stop.)

been seeing a guy. We’re not really Q I’ve “boyfriend and girlfriend” and we’re not

exclusive. Last night, him and my best friend and I were hanging out in his bedroom. After a while, I went to sleep on the couch in the living room and left them in the bedroom. When I woke up, they were having sex. I had told them both it was OK for them to have sex with each other, but I didn’t expect them to do it when I was in the other room.

—Unwelcome Personal Surprise Enraging Totally

A

You’re not exclusive, UPSET, and you gave this guy and your best friend permission to fuck, and… they fucked. But you got something out of it: You learned an important lesson. Namely, no one can read your mind. If you give someone permission to do something with someone, and those someones are on a bed, you need to bring up additional conditions before falling asleep in the next room. a Click with the Savage Lovecast at thecoast.ca/savage

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The Coast

2019-08-21 4:47 PM

The Coast • AUGUST 22 – AUGUST 28, 2019 • 19

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